ACPL’s Favorite Reads of 2024
The end of the year means we’re sharing our favorite reads of 2024! Some of these are new books, while others are books from previous years that we (finally) got around to reading this year.
A young woman struggles with fitting in, alcohol addiction, toxic friendships, and more in this moving, important young adult novel. – Mary Beth A., Outreach
Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Big space opera that asks will people will learn from a traumatic history or attempt to suppress it while dealing with gangsters, spacers, various factions of governments, religious zealots, political intrigue, spying, angels who punch-you-in-the-face. – Adrian Z., Mebane
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
An isolated witch fights for love and her newfound family in this enchantingly cozy romance about healing and finding a place to call home. – Sara D., Graham
“Filled with hard-to-believe yet true events, it flows seamlessly and tells a wonderful story of hardship and resilience, making it a true page-turner.” – Sharada F., Graham
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
This raw, hard-hitting YA revenge thriller set in a small coal mining town is surprisingly full of empathy for everyone caught up in the violence that the main character is trying to end. – Rebecca M., May Memorial
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
It’s not always about your biological family. Sometimes your family is found. – Adrian Z., Mebane
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
More dragon books are needed in the world, and this one is sublime! It may be written for kids, but like Lewis and Pullman, Rundell has written a book that all ages will enjoy. – Mary Beth A., Outreach
The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim
A story that hides itself as horror but touches on multi layered issues then throws you right back into the thrill and suspense you came for. – Bracey B., Mebane
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
This is a classic for a reason. It’s Capote’s scene creating prose which generates a perfectly rendered visual of a gruesome crime and its aftermath. – Adrian Z., Mebane
The Lost Story is a wonderful fantasy for anyone who loves Narnia and Neverland and wishes that they could find a door in a tree and bring a Lost Boy home. – Mary Beth A., Outreach
Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck
This book follows a newly wed couple as the husband slowly transforms into a great white shark and they prepare for his eventual release to the ocean. – Storey H., Outreach
Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce
Riley has to figure out how to combine musical theater (her passion) with Dungeons and Dragons (her dad’s passion) and rope in Nathan (her co-worker) to help her do it. – Kayleigh D., Tech Services
Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
A Black music professor discovers that the world’s most famous composer may have stolen work from a young Black woman, and his dream job becomes a nightmare when he realizes that very powerful people want to stop him from revealing this shocking secret – at all costs. – Joan H-C., May Memorial
Assistant to the Villain Series by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Maehrer combines cozy fantasy vibes with silly hijinks and a sprinkle of danger in the first two books of her debut series. – Kayleigh D., Tech Services
Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea
Listen to this audiobook on Hoopla. If you haven’t read or listened to Charlie Donlea yet, you’re in for a real treat. He creates strong, smart female characters and rewards readers with familiar faces that evolve and grow in later books. – Tracy W., Mebane
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
A woman boards a plane and chillingly reveals to the passengers how and when they will die—told by Moriarty, this premise evolves into something far more captivating and unpredictable. – Tracy W., Mebane
A family story set between “Bloody Sunday” and “The March to Montgomery” in 1965. – Varlese H-G., May Memorial